When I woke up, my arm was pinned under Jessie, and Hope was hugging my leg as she continued to sleep. I wondered how she had managed to move so much in her sleep. I tried to sit up, but neither of them let me.
"I can't get up," I hissed into the empty air.
"Hope, wake up," I said, shaking my leg. When she didn't react, I started shaking it more violently. "Wake up!" I raised my voice. Hope's eyes suddenly shot open, and she looked around frantically. She rubbed her eyes and took another look at her surroundings. After spotting Jessie and me, she finally understood where she was.
"Good morning," she said cheerfully. I scrunched my face in response and then turned to Jessie, trying to free my arm. She was lying directly on top of it, and I could feel the numbness creeping up to my elbow. Worse, it was the same arm that had the IV.
"Hope, lift Jessie a bit," I panted, struggling to free myself. My arm was trapped, and I was getting exhausted from trying.
Hope got off the bed and moved to Jessie's side. She grabbed Jessie by the shoulders and lifted her just enough for me to yank my arm free. I massaged the numbed limb, trying to bring it back to life. Sitting up, I glanced at the clock on the table.
It was six in the morning. For the past two years, I had woken up at this exact time every day, even without an alarm. When Hope saw the time, she let out a small scream. Jessie groaned in protest and buried her head into the mattress.
"It's only six!" Hope whisper-yelled.
"Yeah?"
"I don't wake up for another two hours!" she whined before dramatically throwing herself onto Jessie's bed. Since her bed was right next to mine, she was probably too lazy to walk back to her own.
"When do classes start?"
"At ten."
"And breakfast?" My stomach growled as I asked.
"Eight-thirty to nine-thirty," she mumbled before turning to face the wall. Within seconds, I could hear her steady breathing. The speed at which she fell asleep was unbelievable!
I had slept enough. Getting out of bed, I headed to the bathroom. It still smelled faintly of vomit, but most of the odor had dissipated. Stepping into the shower, I relished the feel of warm water washing over me. Since the water had been cut off at home, I hadn't showered in three days, and I was starting to itch.
As the tub filled with water, I sat down in it. The girls wouldn't be waking up anytime soon. Resting my chin on my knees, I lazily moved my fingers across the water's surface, entertained like a child. Without realizing it, I relaxed so much that my eyes drifted shut. I only meant to rest them for two minutes, but sleep overtook me.
I wandered in darkness. There was nothing around me—just an empty void. The first thought that crossed my mind was that this was my inner world. And I had no doubt that my soul was as dark as this place.
Then, the darkness faded, replaced by a breathtaking scene. A waterfall cascaded down a steep cliff, its roar powerful and mesmerizing. The sheer force of it pressed against my veins. Just as I stood in awe, the scene shifted again. I was now by a lake, its still waters as smooth as glass, filling me with peace. I stared at it for a while before everything changed again. This time, I was sweating. It was hot—like I was in a natural hot spring. I dipped my hand into the water and confirmed my suspicion. It was scalding, but I could feel its healing properties. It felt good.
Then, the scene shifted once more, and I found myself on a beach, watching the waves gently lap at the shore. The tiny waves that brushed against my feet sent a tingling sensation through me, leaving behind a pleasant warmth. I smiled, watching them. Then, as I focused on the sea, a figure started to form above the water. Squinting, I tried to see more clearly. A woman with blue hair, wearing a gown made of water itself, stood smiling at me.
I thought about Hope's ridiculous reaction to seeing the Fire Princess and smiled. I was about to do the same thing. I wanted to say, "Your dress is completely transparent—it doesn't cover anything." But instead, I just smiled back at her.
"I'm glad your first power is water," the woman said. Her voice was soothing, melodic.
"So, my power is awakening," I replied.
"Yes, little one. This is only the first step. Many more are waiting in the dark to awaken. Dohsen kept insisting that he should be first! You should have seen him," she laughed.
I had no idea who Dohsen was, so I just looked at her.
"The Earth Princess," she clarified.
"I see."
"You're very calm. Usually, those who receive our gifts are excited. They eagerly talk about what they'll do with their new powers. But you… you're too calm. Tell me, little one, do you not want this power?"
"Can't you just not give it to me?" I asked. She didn't feel like a person—more like a manifestation of nature itself. Talking to her felt different than talking to normal people. I could sense it. I was nothing compared to her.
"I… I don't know. I don't want it. I was finally about to reunite with my sister, and now I've left her again. They'll throw me into a war I don't want to fight. They'll pin their hopes on me. I don't want to save anyone. Not a single person saved me from the hell I lived in for years. So tell me, why should I save them?"
"Let's say the war happens, and you do nothing. You know it's happening, but you stay on the sidelines. Maybe you could have saved hundreds of thousands, but you didn't. Then, after the war, a child comes to you. With their tiny hands, they hold onto yours and ask, 'Where are my mom and dad?' Are you ready to extinguish the light in that child's eyes? Are you prepared to burden their tiny heart with such grief?"
The moment she mentioned a child, I thought of Dani. What if Dani asked me, "Why didn't you save them?" What answer would I give her?
A shiver ran down my spine. I didn't know if it was from the cold or the weight of reality crashing down on me. I just trembled.
"I believe our time is up. It's time to open your eyes."
"How do I use my powers?" I asked one last time. I could no longer afford to be reluctant.
"You are the Leader, little one. You are Control. You are Obedience. You are different from everyone else. All you have to do is command the water. It will obey you, with great pleasure. But remember, water can be as powerful as a waterfall, as calm as a lake, as scorching as a hot spring, and as boundless as the ocean. Be careful when you use it, for water can be dangerous when wielded carelessly."
I nodded in understanding. She stepped forward and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. Warmth spread through me, wrapping around my entire body. I wasn't cold anymore.
"I hope we meet again, little one," she whispered before fading away.
"Rachel?"
"Rachel!"
My shoulders were shaking. I opened my eyes to a splitting headache.
"Rachel, the water is freezing! What were you thinking, falling asleep in the shower?!" Jessie scolded me.
"You're going to get sick!" Hope screeched.
"Fine, I'm getting out," I grumbled, trying to stand, but my legs were numb.
The girls lifted me up and wrapped a towel around me. As they guided me back to my bed, I stared at them in shock.
"I'll keep this a secret, but if I use my powers without permission, Liz will punish me again, and I won't be able to visit my family over break." Hope lifted her hands, summoning a small flame. My eyes widened at the sight.
"Doesn't it burn you?" I asked.
"Elements don't harm their users. I only feel a slight tickle," she giggled.
Once I was warm and dry, they helped me get dressed. I borrowed a pair of jeans from Jessie and a light blouse from Hope. Neither of them hesitated to offer me their clothes and even helped me get dressed.
"All your clothes are for winter, so we gave you ours," Jessie explained. The fact that they paid so much attention to me warmed my heart. Ever since my conversation with the Water Princess, I had been feeling a strange sense of softness. I would probably return to my old self soon, but in this moment, I could be the calmest, kindest person in the world.
"Thank you," I said, flashing them a genuine smile.
"So pretty!" Hope gasped, staring at me in admiration. I gave her a confused look, waiting for her to elaborate. "Your smile is so beautiful. You are so beautiful. Honestly, you don't even need to use your powers. If you just smiled and asked me to do something, I'd do it immediately," she said, nodding enthusiastically.
Jessie smacked the back of her head before turning to me with a grin. "It's no big deal, Rachel. You're our friend."
Friend… That word felt like a relic from a distant past. I looked at them—the people who might become my second and third biggest disappointments. Was I allowed to dream again, even if it would break me in the end? They smiled at me. They had helped me without me even asking. For the first time in years, I willingly chose to trust someone. Whatever pain they might bring, I didn't think it would hurt as much as before.
"Come on, we're going to be late for breakfast," Hope said, stomping her feet excitedly. I had left my hair loose to dry, and thanks to Hope, most of it was already dry. During breakfast, many eyes were on us again. Hope and Jessie were used to it by now, so they ignored it. I followed their lead and got in line. This time, it wasn't as bad as dinner—only two people had cut in front of me. Still, I found it unbearable.
Alongside our breakfast, they gave us small white pills. They looked different from regular medicine. Jessie noticed me inspecting mine and explained.
"They're healing pills. Made with special healing magic. If there's even the slightest trace of last night's food poisoning left in us, this will get rid of it. I guess they spent all night making them."
After breakfast, I could read Hope's reluctance all over her face.
"What's wrong with her?" I asked Jessie.
"She hates Ancient Language class. She gets bored out of her mind."
As we walked toward the school building, I suddenly spoke. "I saw the Water Princess in my dream."
"What?!" They both shouted, turning to me in shock.
"And you're just telling us now?!" Hope scolded me.
"What was she like?" Jessie asked eagerly.
"She was beautiful. For a moment, I almost pulled a 'Hope.' She was wearing a dress made of water, but it was so transparent that it didn't cover anything. I nearly pointed it out," I said with a chuckle.
"Mine was wearing a dress made of fire," Hope interjected.
"So, has your water power awakened?"
"I think so," I shrugged. I couldn't feel any change inside me, so I had no idea whether a power had awakened or not.
They bombarded me with questions all the way to class, and I answered each one patiently. The moment we entered the room, my eyes were drawn to a girl sitting in the corner. She had brown hair and green eyes. We locked eyes as if sharing an unspoken connection, staring at each other for seconds that felt like minutes. My heart—if I even had one—started racing. I was excited, and that was a first for me.
Hope was saying something, but I couldn't focus. I couldn't look away from the girl. Next to my plainness, her ordinary appearance was perfect.
"Rachel!" Hope raised her voice. "Are you listening to me?" Reluctantly, I broke eye contact with the girl and looked at Hope.
"Uh-huh," I nodded absentmindedly. But I wasn't listening. My mind was wandering far away.
"I'm not talking anymore. I'm mad at you," Hope pouted, sitting in the seat in front of the girl.
"Forget about her, Rachel," Jessie grabbed my arm and pulled me into the seat in front of her. As she sat next to Hope, she and I tried to console her.
"Hope, I spaced out. I'm sorry," I said, turning toward her. If I could, I would have looked at both the girl and Hope at the same time. But since that wasn't possible, I chose to focus on Hope.
"Are you really sorry?"
"Probably not," I squinted my eyes playfully.
"I knew it!" She huffed and turned to stare out the window.
"Come on, Hope," Jessie grabbed her chin and turned her back to us. "Don't be childish."
I briefly saw the tears welling up in Hope's eyes before she quickly blinked them away.
"Hope, I'm sorry. Really, I mean it," I said, placing my hand on her arm. She nodded in acknowledgment before shifting her attention to the door. A man in his fifties walked in, and I focused on him too.
Since I had joined in the middle of the year, I understood nothing. I liked the subject, but sitting still felt like torture. When Hope and I sighed at the same time, we looked at each other and laughed.
"Miss Mahaws," the teacher called out. "Is my lesson really that boring?" He pouted dramatically, making it hard for me not to laugh.
"Well…" Hope hesitated.
"I get it. Let's take a five-minute break," he said, setting his book down and walking around the classroom.
"Hope!" Jessie scolded.
"What? I was bored!" Hope defended herself.
"Look at Stevon—he looks like he wants to drown you in a spoonful of water. You just interrupted his class!"
"Rachel will protect me."
"Who?" I asked, joining the conversation.
"You."
"Protect who?"
"Me."
"From who?"
"Stevon."
"Hope, that's a future that will never happen," I sighed. "Maybe I can stop him from killing you, but I doubt I can prevent him from making you suffer. So, try not to stand out too much."
"You are avatar, don't be covard!" Hope exclaimed, laughing loudly.
The entire class turned to look at us. The Ancient Language teacher, whose name I had just learned was Edward, stopped pacing at the back of the room and approached us.
"Miss Mahaws… Could you at least wait until the break to cause trouble?"
"Sorry," Hope mumbled, looking slightly embarrassed.
"And you must be Miss Hayes!" Edward's eyes widened as he looked at me. "I was so lost in teaching that I didn't even realize you were here. I'm Edward Stiues. You can call me Ed."
"Rachel. Rachel Hayes," I introduced myself.
"Can we get back to class now?" an irritated voice spoke from behind us.
I turned toward the speaker—a boy with short black hair, slightly pronounced cheekbones, and dark brown eyes that practically radiated anger.
"Stevon," Hope hissed under her breath.
"Of course," Ed said, stepping away to pick up his book again. I resumed my quiet boredom. I needed to catch up with Jessie and Hope—I really wanted to understand what was being taught.
When class ended, we rushed outside for our fifteen-minute break. The nature that had seemed so breathtaking yesterday now felt less impressive with so many people around. Still, it was calming.
"Hey, Jess," I nudged Jessie. I had decided to call her Jess—I liked shortening people's names. "What's our next class?"
"Horseback riding."
I looked at her with excitement. "Finally, something worth being here for!" I said, my energy spilling out.
"I'm never going to be good at this class," Jess added, sighing.
"So, are we not worth staying for?" Hope pouted.
"Are you on your period?" Jess and I asked at the same time.
Hope nodded, and Jess smirked. "I should have known. You're extra grumpy today."
We wisely avoided bothering Hope for the remainder of the break. For a moment, I felt like I was in a normal school again. Like I was back in the high school I never got to finish.
Then, the same girl caught my attention again. I couldn't stop looking at her.
Jess must have followed my gaze because she answered my unspoken question.
"Mina. Earth Princess Bloodline," she said simply.
She was alone. No one approached her. She walked past, completely detached from everyone else, and I kept watching.
"She doesn't talk to anyone. No one has ever heard her voice," Jessie explained.
"She can't speak?" I asked, my mouth slightly open in surprise.
"No one knows. Many people assume so."
"We tried talking to her too, but she never responded. Jonathan, that scumbag, constantly tries to flirt with her, but he always fails," Hope said, laughing. "You should see his pathetic attempts. And since Mina is ranked fourth and Jonathan is seventh, he can't even act like he's better than her."
"If I beat Jonathan in a duel, do I take his place, or does he just drop one rank below?"
"That's the best part! You swap ranks. Right now, you're probably ranked fifty-fifth. If you beat Jonathan in a duel, you take the seventh spot, and he gets bumped all the way to the bottom. Rachel, please make your first duel against Jonathan!"
"What's his element?" I found myself asking.
"Water!" They both answered in unison.
"I guess I should give it a try. But first, I need to learn how to use my powers. I don't feel any different. Even though I saw the Water Princess in my dream, I'm starting to think it was just an illusion."
"Don't worry, they'll teach you how to use your abilities in Basic Elements class. Since you know your element, you'll be placed in the water class, so we'll have to split up," Hope said. She started the sentence cheerfully but sounded sad by the end. Her emotions shifted constantly.
"Do you think I should tell Liz?"
"Probably."
"You should," Jess confirmed. "She might know things we don't."
"Alright, I'll visit her after horseback riding."
We walked to the back of the school, where the stables and training area were located. The open riding field was fenced, and two students were already on horseback.
"Class has already started. Let's find you a horse, Rachel!" Hope grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the stables. We stopped in front of a brown horse, and I smiled. When I reached out to stroke its head, the horse responded by pressing its head into my palm.
"So, you like me too, huh?" I chuckled.
"Do you know how to ride?" Hope asked.
"I learned when I was little."
As I continued bonding with the horse, a woman approached us.
"Hello, Miss Wood!" Hope greeted.
"Hello, Hope. And…?" She looked at me expectantly.
"Rachel Hayes."
"Miss Hayes," she nodded, completing the introduction.
"Just Rachel, please."
"Alright, Rachel. I can see you have a way with horses."
"Yes, my grandfather had a farm when I was a kid. I grew up around them."
"Not everyone is as lucky as you," she said, glancing at Jess.
"I won't fall today!" Jess declared, straightening her back with confidence.
Fifteen minutes into the lesson, she fell.
The horse looked down at her with what seemed like disappointment.
"Ow!" Jess groaned dramatically, rubbing her backside before standing up. With some help, she got back on her horse. Hope was better at this—she could at least make her horse move in the right direction. Many students were cautiously guiding their horses, making sure they didn't make any sudden movements.
"Want to go for a run, girl?" I asked, stroking my horse's mane. Without hesitation, she picked up speed. I noticed she was heading toward the fence, and I raised an eyebrow.
"Where are we going?" I asked. I wasn't the one guiding her—she was taking me wherever she wanted.
When she leaped over the fence, I heard Hope scream behind me.
"Rachel! Where are you going without me?!" she shouted.
Laughing, I held on as the horse galloped into the forest. Once we entered the trees, she slowed to a walk.
I admired my surroundings, enchanted by the towering trees mixed with lush greenery. The forest was full of life, vibrant flowers blooming everywhere. When we reached a clearing filled with purple flowers, I gently pulled on the reins, and the horse came to a stop.
The trees here were sparse, their bases completely covered in violet blossoms. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting a mesmerizing glow on the petals. It was breathtaking.
"You brought me to a beautiful place," I murmured, stroking the horse's head.
In the sunlight, the flowers were a vivid purple, while those in the shade appeared deep blue. I could lose myself in this place. I could live here forever.
Was my deep love for nature connected to being the Leader? If it was, I didn't care. Because beauty like this was impossible not to love.
I crouched down and gently touched one of the flowers. Instantly, the entire field rippled like waves in the ocean, the flowers seeming to grow taller.
It was silent. The forest smelled wonderful.
It was peaceful.